Istanbul Biennial Draws to Early Close as Curator Departs
52Jan. 1, 2026
The EighteenthIstanbul Biennialhas ended two years ahead of schedule owing to the departure of its curator,Christine Tohmé. Originally planned by Tohmé as a tripartite affair titled “Three Legged Cat,” the Biennial opened its first chapter on September 20 across eight venues and closed November 23, as planned. The event had been set to span three years, with an academic program taking place in 2026, followed by a second exhibition in 2027. Though the Biennial welcomed 600,000 visitors during the inaugural portion of its run, the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), the private foundation in charge of the event, said in a statement that the rest of the exhibition would not take place “following Tohmé’s decision to step down due to personal circumstances.”
Tohmé, the founding director of Beirut contemporary arts nonprofit Ashkal Alwan, had beenappointed to the roleafter the İKSV established new regulations for choosing a curator for the Istanbul Biennial. The revised rules were put in place after the İKSV named British art historianIwona Blazwickcurator of the Biennial despite the fact that the advisory board hadunanimously recommendedTurkish-born curator Defne Ayas to lead the event, which at the time was scheduled to take place in 2024. According to the new rules, the advisory board is allowed to recommend three candidates for the role, and the İKSV must select one of them.
At the time of her appointment, Tohmé had said she hoped the extended timeframe of the Biennial would help the event to “engage more deeply with the local scene and foster projects and collaborations around collective questions, contexts, and communities.”
The IKSV said that it would announce a curator for the Nineteenth Istanbul Biennial, scheduled for 2027, next year.